Recombinant DNA used to produce human insulin

Recombinant DNA used to produce human insulin

La Duca ChiaraPiccioli Agata Saletti Chiara

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood and is necessary for the body to function normally. Insulin is produced by cells in the pancreas, called the islets of Langerhans.The rise in blood of sugar stimulates the cells of the islets of Langerhans to release the required amount of insulin.

Diabetes

People who don't produce the required amount of insulin have diabetes. There are two general types of diabetes:

• Type I

• Type II

Types of insulin

There are four main types of insulin produced based on how soon insulin starts working, when it peaks, and how long it lasts in the body. We divide insulin in:

• rapid-acting insulin
• intermediate-acting insulin
• long-acting insulin.

History of insulin

If the body doesn't make enough insulin, people have to take a manufactured version.

1970s

1921

1922

1950s

1936

1980s

From preproinsulin to insulin

+ Info

Insuline production_Materials and instruments

Other instruments:-centrifuge -chromatography, x-ray, crystallography instruments.

Escherichia coli

Nutrients

Amino-acid sequencing machine that synthesizes the DNA.

Large tanks

Synthesis of A and B chanes separately using E. coli

Synthesis of proinsulin using E. coli

Analog insulin

In the mid-1990s, researchers began to improve the functioning of human insulin in the body by modifying its amino acid sequence and creating an analog.Instead of synthesizing the exact DNA sequence for insulin, manufacturers synthesize a gene for insulin whose sequence is slightly modified. There are different types of analog insulin, for example:

• Humulin ® (absorbed quickly)

• Lantus ®, Glargine insulin (constant release over 24 hours)

Quality control

After synthesising human insulin, the structure and purity of insulin batches are tested by various methods such as:

• liquid chromatography;
• X-ray crystallography;

• gel filtration;
• amino acid sequencing;

Manufacturers also test the vial packaging to make sure it is sealed properly. The US Food and Drug Administration must approve all insulins produced.

Ways to take insulin

Since insulin was first synthesized, diabetics needed to regularly inject the liquid insulin with a syringe directly into their bloodstream. This allows the insulin to enter the blood immediately.

Future

Present

• Implantable insulin pumps.
• Ingesting insulin through pills.
• Inhaled insulin devices
• Insulin patches
• Cells that produce insulin in the laboratory (Replace the non-working pancreas cells with insulin-producing cells)
• Correction of the insulin gene's mutation so that diabetics would be able to produce insulin on their own.

• Insulin pens.
• Jet-injector.
• Insulin pump.

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